Shackle seal



June 10, 1952 A, D] PALMA 2,599,700

' SHACKLE SEAL Filed Nov. 10, 1950 1N VENTOR 52 311. M0 215 LL yam.

ATTORNEY Patented June 10, 1952 SHACKLE SEAL Antonio di Palma, Pueblo, 0010., assignor of onehalf to Raffaele Perrotta Application November 10, 1950, Serial No. 195,035

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved shackle seal of the character shown in my pending application for a like invention, filed March 8, 1948, Serial No. 13,640, now Patent Number 2,538,508, dated January 15, 1951.

In the device shown in my pending application, the head of the seal requires different hand operations in order to produce and assemble the seal, with the result that the device is not only tedious to fabricate but also relatively expensive to finish.

The present invention therefore has as its objects to provide a seal wherein, while retaining all of the advantages of the seal shown in my pending application mentioned, may, nevertheless, be produced complete by machinery, wherein the head of the seal will be fashioned from a resilient sheet metal blank, and wherein the blank will be stamped to form the elements of the head enabling the free end of the shackle wire to be manually tied in the head.

Other objects of the invention relating more particularly to the structural improvements in the elements of the head will appear during the course of the following description of the embodiment disclosed, and in the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation more particularly showing the head blank employed.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the blank.

Figure 3 is an elevation showing the blank folded to form the head.

Figures 4, 5, and 6 are more or less diagrammatic elevations showing how the free end of the shackle wire is tied in the head.

Figure 7 is an edge elevation of the device as seen in Figure 5.

Figure 8 is an elevation showing the top plate of the head removed and illustrating how the shackle wire is looped about the post of the bottom plate.

Figure 9 is a vertical section on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a horizontal section on the line ,I0-I 0 of Figure 8.

\Figure 11 is a perspective view showing the seal in use.

In carrying the invention into effect, I employ, as seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, an oblong blank III which is preferably formed of suitable resilient sheet metal.

The blank I0 is folded medially to form a rectangular head II, and, as will be perceived, this head thus embodies a pair of overlapping, abutting plates which, for convenience of the present description, are respectively designated as a bottom plate I2 and a top plate I3. Formed on the free end of the top plate is a flange I4 which is bent about the free end of the bottom plate and secured by a spot-weld I5. The free ends of the top and bottom plates are thus permanently secured together, and uniting the plates medially of the head near the upper edge thereof is a spot-weld I6. Thus, the plates may not be separated without seriously mutilating the head.

Pressed inwardly from the bottom plate I2 near the lower edge thereof is a medially disposed boss which, as will later appear, provides a post ll, and pressed outwardly from the top plate I3 are crossed, intersecting channels I8 and I9 respectively. The channel I9 is deeper than the channel I8 so that as between the two channels, the channel I8 may be designated as the shallow channel and the channel I 9 as the deep channel.

Pressed outwardly from the top plate I3 in the crotch between the lower end portions of the channels I8 and I9 is a web 20 which defines a triangular recess 2I immediately below the point of intersection of said channels. The recess H is of the same depth as the shallow channel I8 so that a corresponding stop shoulder 22 is provided at the lower end of said recess. Extending downwardly from the shoulder 22 is a spring lip 23 which lies between the lower ends of the channels I8, and I9 and normally abuts the bottom plate I2. The lip 23 thus normally closes the recess 2I at its lower end. As will be noted, the post I"! is received in the recess 2| centrally thereof and, as shown in Figure 9, abuts the web 20.

Welded or otherwise fixed at one end in the crease between the plates I2 and I3 is a shackle wire 24. This Wire is flexible and resilient, but, preferably, somewhat pliable but also somewhat resistant to bending in the fingers of the hand.

In Figure 11 of the drawings, I have shown the device in use, conventional ears to be sealed being shown at 25.

To tie the free end of the shackle wire 24 in the head II, the free end portion of said wire is, as shown in Figure 4, first inserted through the channel I 8 from the upper end thereof when, as shown in Figure 5, the free end portion of the wire is flexed to form a loop 26, after which the free end portion of the Wire is then inserted through the channel I 9 from the lower end thereof. The portion of the wire in the deep channel I9 will thus cross over the portion of the wire in the shallow channel I8 at the point of intersection. of said channels.

Having threaded the free end portion of the wire through the channels I8 and I9, as shown in Figure 5, the free terminal portion 21 of the wire is manually pulled to contact the loop 25 and cause the sides thereof to bind beneath the ends of the lip 23. Continued pull upon the terminal 21 of the wire will then cause the sides of the loop to spring the lip outwardly, with the result that the loop will ride under said lip and, as shown in Figure 6, enter the recess 2| about the post I], after which the lip will return to its original position closing said recess at its lower end. Tampering with the loop after it is engaged about the post will thus be prevented.

After the loop 26 of the wire 24 is brought into the recess 2!, as shown in Figure 6, it then only remains to pull upon the terminal 2'! of the wire until the loop is tightened in firm engagement about the post ll, when said terminal is preferably cut off, as shown in Figure 8, flush with the upper edge of the head. As will be perceived, the

free end portion of the wire may thus be quickly and easily tied in the head.

It. is now to be noted that the channel H5 is of'a depth corresponding to the diameter of the wire 26, while the channel i9 is approximately double said depth, or very slightly less, rather than more. Thus, as will be seen, the terminal 27 of the wire is, at the point where it crosses the portion of the wire in the channel 18, held by the channels in contact with said portion of the wire, and, due to the resiliency of. the wire, the loop 25 will consequently be prevented from riding up the u post ii. However, the loop will, as shown in Figure 9, be closely confined between the bottom plate (2 and the web 22 and thus positively retained about the post. Furthermore, it is to be noted, as also shown in Figure 9, that the bow of l the loop 26 at the bottom thereof, abuts the shoulder 22 at the lower end of the recess 2i. Consequently, said shoulder will prevent the terminal 2? of the wire from being pushed backwardly, should an effort be so made to release the free end of the wire from the head H.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A shackle seal including a head comprising an oblong sheet metal blank folded medially to provide overlapping top and bottom plates, means inseparably securing the plates together at their free ends to maintain the plates in abutting relation; the top plate being stamped to provide crossed intersecting channels as well as a web raised between the channels to define a recess gaged about said post within said recess for se-' curing the free end of the wire to the head, and a spring lip formed on said web and normally abutting the bottom plate to close said recess at the adjacent edge of the head, said lip being movable by'said loop to permit the loop to ride under said lip and enter said recess.

2. A shackle seal including a head comprising an oblong sheet metal blank folded medially to provide overlapping top and bottom plates, means inseparably securing the plates together at their free ends to maintain the plates in abutting relation, the top plate being stamped to provide crossed intersecting channels as well'as a web raised between the channels to define a recess communicating with said channels adjacent the point of intersection thereof and said bottom plate being stamped to provide a post received in said recess to closely approach said web, a shackle wire fixed at one end to the head and insertable at itsfree end through first one of said channels and then the other to form'a loop engaged about said post within said recess for securing the free end of the wire to the head, a spring lip formed on said web and normally abutting the bottom plate to close said recess at the adjacent edge of the head, said'lip being movable by said loop to permit the loop to ride under said lip and enter said recess, and a stop shoulder providing juncture between said lip and web and confrgnting the bow' of said loop for limitin the adjacent terminal portion of the wire against backward movement in the channel therefor.

ANTONIO DI PAL-MA.

REFERENCES CITED The'following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,267,725 Wenk e May 28, 1918 2,538,508 Di Palma Jan. 16, 1951 

